


Badass Princess

by TheFuck



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, I'll try not to take too long (but it's already been like two or three months goddamnit), Literally don’t have to have read or watched it to understand, No spoilers for manga/anime, On hiatus cause author is stupid and only had the very beginning planned out, Pirates, Tryna figure the actual story part of the story alkdjsflkasjdflkjasldkfjas, lo siento
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:09:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28105266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFuck/pseuds/TheFuck
Summary: The Queen is dead. The Princess missing. Pirates in the harbor. Adventure ensues. (lol, I felt like making this kind of summary, don't at me)
Relationships: Natsu Dragneel & Lucy Heartfilia, lucy/natsu
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. The Incident

**Author's Note:**

> Hi  
> Hello  
> How do you do?  
> Me?  
> Well,  
> I am nervous as HELL  
> Kinda  
> Honestly, I don't give a shit if people hate this cause I'm doing it for shits and giggles. However definitely please don't be unnecessarily mean lol. I'm just here to have fun.  
> Also yes I might change the title. This has just been the title of the doc the fic has lived in for years so I'm used to it and can't think of anything else. If you think of anything I'm all ears.  
> IMPORTANT  
> PLEASE DON'T GIVE ANY MANGA/ANIME SPOILERS IN COMMENTS!!!  
> Idk why anyone would but please don't. I sadly am behind (stopped at Tartaros arc *crying intensifies cause of Aquarium scene and because of what I know happens after and because I want to be fully caught up but I'm a slow reader*) but I plan on rereading everything and binging it all so >:)))))))))))))))))  
> But still don't give spoilers.  
> TW- Death and mention of blood

She hated her life. It was tiresome and quite depressing. Filled with “fun parties” every month and suffocating dresses she’d be forced to attend in. With heels as high as hers if she took one wrong step she could break her ankle. Or neck.  


At these parties men “flirted” with her (they mainly talked about themselves). They were all eligible to marry her, trying their best to win her and her father over. She had to get married before she could become queen and marrying royalty would unite the two kingdoms, making a strong allegiance.  


But in truth, she felt they either wanted to get in her pants or take control of the kingdom once they married her. They clearly thought she was stupid and a push over and would be easily manipulated into giving control over to them.  


As they would dance, some of these men would slide their hands down her back, thinking they were so sly. She would give them a sweet smile (but really she wanted to knee them in the balls) and move their hand to its original position, her lower back. She was always so stiff when dancing with these men. Uncomfortable. To the point where she almost felt dirty after dancing.  


To make matters worse, the man some would call her father, was an uncaring, unloving bastard. To him she was merely a pawn to marry off to make the kingdom stronger. Someone who was only meant to get knocked up and give birth to sons because god forbid the first child be a girl.  


She knew she was lucky to grow up with such privilege. Never having to worry about her safety or going hungry. She was truly grateful for growing up wealthy and in such a safe environment. But it was still hard with a father who only saw you as an object and men constantly looking at you as merely something to fuck and control. It was degrading and tiring.  


Really, the only light in her life was her mother. She loved her mother so much. Her mother was kind, caring and had always been there for her whenever needed. Her mother helped her get through her pet fish’s death (she was 5 then ok, of course she would cry over a dead fish). She had loved her fish (Mr. Foofoo) so dearly, considering it had been her first pet. Later in life, when she grew and hit puberty, her mother had helped her through that too.  


Her and her mother loved to read. They would give each other book suggestions and discuss them. Her mother had taught her how to use a gun. She was one of the best sharpshooters in the whole kingdom. Although her mother never really needed the skill, it was still impressive. And useful in case she did need it. Her mother taught her everything she knew about guns and gunmanship.  


The princess was also quite skilled with small knives. Knives were her favorite to use. They were so small and fit perfectly in your hand. They didn’t add a lot of weight like swords and were easy to hide. It was also easier to move with them.  


It’s ironic, because although her father didn’t seem to care much about her, he still thought training her in self-defense was important. So that in the unlikely case the castle was raided by rebels she could defend herself.  


Yet despite her mother being a badass. Being skilled with a gun and able to dodge bullets. Despite the fact that her daughter had been with her, gun drawn and dagger in hand and having ten armed men with guns and swords protecting them at all times. Despite having trained all her life in preparation for an event like this. Despite all that, here was her mother. Slowly bleeding to death due to a bullet wound.  


The princess cradled her mother in her arms, surrounded by corpses of enemies and guards alike. Once she saw her mother had been shot she had gone into a blind rage, shooting and stabbing anyone in sight; sadly including her guards as well.  
  


She wept and whispered “I love you” over and over to her mother and profusely apologizing. The last thing she heard her mother say, the last words she would ever utter before her dear beloved mother left the world and her weeping daughter with it, was, “Stay strong. Stay strong for Mr. Foofoo. Stay strong for me. But most of all, stay strong for yourself. Understand? Don’t let me down, Lucy Heartfilia.”  


And with that her hand grew limp from atop her daughter’s. Her eyes faded, losing the spark her daughter had loved and admired all her life. With that last exhale, the princess’s world came crashing down on her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow  
> That was shit, wasn't it?  
> I've been rereading this chapter thousands of times and didn't know how to make it better so I was like, let's just fucking post this cause I'm done. When I started this fic I never thought I'd post it but one day I was like, let's do it for shits and giggles. And now here I am.  
> Anyway, I already have like the next three chapters written (I'm editing them and shit) so next week I'll post the new chapter for my nonexistent readers :D


	2. The Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I-  
> 
> 
> Wtf XDDDDD  
> 
> 
> I'm sorry. I completely forgot to update yesterday. I set a reminder and everything but I just forgot X'D  
> 
> 
> Sorry again. But, here's the next two chapters (I'm doing two because if I did only one I would feel bad because chapter 2 is reeeeeally short.  
> 
> 
> Also, I have zero idea how people react when they loose someone. So ya, sorry for that in advance.

The aftermath of the castle raid was chaotic. Lucy had never seen these many people running around, not even when there was a party. She was still cradling her mother in her arms, crying her eyes out. Ignoring the people surrounding her who were trying to move her so they could take her mother away. Lucy was too wrapped up in her shell of sorrow and anger to care what they said or did. She just wanted to hold her mom. She didn’t want to move.

Eventually, she fell asleep from physical and emotional exhaustion.

***

I slowly wake up, groaning when I feel my body aching. As I shift in bed I wince, feeling a sharp, intense pain in my right thigh and shoulder. Looking down I see they are wrapped in bandages. I try to sit up but cry out in pain and fall back on my bed. Propping myself up on my left elbow, I lift up my shirt and stare at my abdomen. It’s wrapped in bandages as well. Undoing the cloth I take a look at the wound.

There’s a long, diagonal, jagged slash across my stomach, even curving up slightly to my sternum. I can tell it’s still fresh due to it’s slight bleeding. A serrated blade must have been used to cause the wound, and because it seemed quite deep I knew it would scar.

_And will probably be a long painful healing process. Fun._

__I rewrap my stomach and lie back down. Looking around the room I spot some water and food. An empty cup near a jug of water and a roll of bread lie on my left bedside table. Cautiously propping up I pour myself a cup of water, chugging it once it’s full. I pour myself another cup and drink it slower this time. Putting the empty cup down I pick up the bread, lie back down and start picking at it._ _

__My breath hitches as I recall sitting in one of the many courtyards on the grass with my mom, reading in the sun. I feel tears in the back of my throat and forcefully swallow them down._ _

___No, don’t give in. Remember the promise you made._ _ _

____I slowly exhale and swallow the lump in my throat. Deciding to take a shower I gingerly get up and hobble my way over to the bathroom, using the wall for support. I nearly fall when I make it halfway across the room._ _ _ _

_____This is when big rooms suck. _I huff, annoyed at my now inconveniently huge room (not like I ever liked how big it was)__ _ _ _ _

______After regaining my balance I continue to limp the rest of the way. It takes forever to take a shower, considering I can’t get my stomach wet (it was ok for my leg and arm to get wet since the wounds weren’t as deep) I somehow managed though. Once I was clean I pull the few first-aid things I have from one of the bathroom cabinets, cleaning and rewrapping my wounds (which was also a pain in the ass…..or I guess pain in the stomach)_____ Ha ha very funny Lucy. _ _ _ _ _I roll my eyes at my stupidity and hobble my way back to bed, not bothering to get dressed.______

_Two Days Later-_  
______The funeral had been hard on her. There were a lot of people there, but she could tell that more than half of them were only there because they had to be. Part of that fifty percent was her damned father. He hadn’t shed a tear and didn’t even have the decency to look like he was mourning. It had angered her, but she was too sad to do anything. She had to admit that even though her mother was dead she still managed to look serenely beautiful._ _ _ _ _ _

______The night of Layla’s burial it finally hit Lucy that her mother was never coming back. That she was alone. She had known that her mom was dead, but she hadn’t quite accepted it. For a month Lucy cried for her mother. There was no one to comfort her. No one to make her smile even when she was going through a hard time. No one to keep her company at night when the emotions were too much to bear._ _ _ _ _ _

______All of that had been taken away by the quick fire of a gun. All of those things had made up one person._ _ _ _ _ _

______Layla…._____ Mom _ _ _ _ _.______

But that person was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you I don't know how to write someone grieving. If you have any tips please tell me (but maybe read the next chapter then tell me because you might have stuff to add after reading the next chapter)  
> 
> 
> Crying for a month might be overboard but at the same time everyone reacts to death differently. There's no "right" way of mourning so ya (I had her cry for a month straight because I wanted to show that her mom dying REALLY fucked her up) And, I'll try my best not to brush her trauma and sadness under the rug. I'm not the best at writing emotions but I'll really give it my all.  
> 
> 
> Thank you for reading!!!! (idk if anyone is gonna be back here from last week but if you are wtf I appreciate you so much)


	3. Life Goes On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope I didn't fuck this up.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING (kind of?)- almost panic attack? (but I wrote it so shittly it won't trigger you lol)
> 
> I'm sorryyyy I've never had one. I tried my best. After reading it if you have tips/constructive criticism (whether it's on the panic attack or anything is) I WILL HAPPILY WELCOME IT DUDE!

I groggily open my eyes, dreading getting out of bed. I pull the blankets over my head and lie there, trying to ignore everything. Life is still as drewry as ever. Except, now it’s harder to go on. What used to get me out of bed was the knowledge that if anything went wrong my mom would be there to help or comfort me. Now that she’s gone it’s become harder to get out of bed. But if I don’t, the servants, who genuinely care for me, will become worried. Jude would become “worried” as well. He would barge in here and yank me out of bed, screaming that I have duties for the country. But in truth my “duties” as a princess are to find a husband.

_Four measly fucking months and he’s already trying to marry me off again._

He must think that because I’m not constantly crying I’m all better.

_That doesn’t mean I’m ok! I still need time to- to heal….._

I feel my breath falter. Turning onto my side and curling into a tight ball I wrap my arms around myself. Digging my nails into my biceps I try to distract myself from the painful thoughts. I take a breath and harshly exhale. Loosening my grip I take another, more calming breath.

_There you go, you’re fine. Just breath._

I smile, happy I was able to calm myself down. My smile however, quickly turns into a frown as I remember how Jude has already planned a party in a week. The invitations have been sent out and the servants are going crazy with cleaning, decorating and making everything just perfect. I hate it when the workers are on edge like this. You can feel the tension and stress in the air. Especially because if you mess up, Jude will have your head. I also have to be careful. If I do something wrong or say the wrong thing, Jude will lock me in my room for three days. Only letting the servants come in to give me food or a snack.

_Maybe I should mess up on purpose. It would at least give me three days of peace and solitude. I’ll be able to somewhat mentally prepare myself for the party….And the people and the suitors and the conversations and the whispers and everyone looking at me with pity as if I don’t know what happened four months ago and-_

I take a ragged breath, cutting myself off as I feel my emotions begin to suffocate me.

_It’s ok. Just breath. Focus on your body. Focus on your chest steadily rising and falling._

As I focus on my chest I can feel myself calm down and my breath evening out.

_Good. Now just focus on right now. Don’t stress about the future. You’ll deal with it when it comes. Right now, focus on getting some breakfast. On the breakfast_  
_you’ll eat in the kitchen, surrounded by the caring servants who are warmth and comfort._

As I think of the comforting kitchen with its cooks who are always so attentive and caring to me, I feel my breath completely even out. I get out of bed and go to the bathroom. After getting changed I grab the book I’m reading and my favorite snuggle blanket. As I open my door I see Virgo standing in front of me, fist raised to knock.

“I’m sorry to interrupt you Princess, but King Jude requested for you to try on a few new dresses for the upcoming ball.” Virgo said, bowing in respect as usual.

I see the four dresses she’s holding, signing I let her in. She lays them out on my bed for me to examine. Each one was beautiful.

The first dress is light pink, with detailed gold flowers covering it. It has a heart shaped, sleeveless top and matching sheer pink scarf. The next is a cerulean mermaid dress with cap sleeves. It’s simple, no added details, but extremely elegant. The third is a typical ball gown dress with a blue and silver color scheme. The sleeveless top is completely covered in silver sequins of a sort. At the waist, the sequins begin to fade into the skirt of the dress, scattering over it like stars in the night sky.

However, I find the last dress the most beautiful. It’s a simple navy blue dress with a sheer sleeve-like cloth of the same color. The cloth runs from the top left shoulder across the chest to the right hip. At the hip, it wraps around the waist like a belt. (a/n- I described the dress as best I could but I sucked at it, sorry). It has a long slit which runs up to the middle of the thigh, and there are little stars of gold scattered across it. It’s simple but I like it best.

“Can I try this one on?” I ask Virgo, pointing to the last dress.

Nodding, she picks it up for me and carries it to my bathroom. Once in the bathroom I carefully put the dress on, paranoid I might tear the sheer sleeve or rip the seams despite knowing it was impossible. Walking to the huge mirror in my bathroom I readjust the dress, ensuring it is placed properly and doesn’t show much cleavage, if at all. Once I feel everything is where it should be I step back, admiring myself. The dress fits perfectly, accentuating all the right curves of my body. It isn’t too tight, and I realize I won’t have to wear a corset. Although I’m already skinny to begin with, a princess always has to wear a corset. It makes them even skinnier and, you know, it’s just _so_ fun to torture a female every chance you get. And why not make it hard to breathe?!

Walking out of my bathroom I slowly twirl so Virgo can fuss over me. I’m not one for pampering, but when I get a new dress I love how Virgo always gets excited and gives me so much attention.

“You look absolutely stunning! I knew that one would look best on you.” Virgo exclaims.

“Thanks,” I say, smiling warmly. “Oh also, is this a new design? I don’t have to wear a corset.”

“Yes it is. Our seamstress and seamster developed a new material to substitute the corset. It does the exact same thing but doesn’t make it as hard to move or breath. I put the matching shoes and some jewelry to pick from on your bed ”

“Ok, thank you,” I reply, walking over to my bed. Slipping on the shoes I look at the jewelry she laid out for me. I spot a pair of dangling earrings, a necklace and a few bracelets which match the dress. Putting them on I sit at my vanity table, knowing Cancer, my hairdresser, will want to try a few different hairstyles and makeup looks.

“That dress looks wonderful on you Princess!” Cancer exclaims as he walks into my room as if on cue.

“Thanks Cancer.” I blush. “You can get to work if you’re ready.”

He laughs, knowing I still get embarrassed when people compliment me. Luckily he doesn’t comment on it and simply replies, “As you wish, your highness.”

I thank Virgo as she gathers the dresses and excess jewelry, knowing I wouldn’t want them in my closet, and takes her leave. I tell Cancer I don’t want anything too complicated. He tries two different styles before we settle on a messy bun with my bangs covering my right eye. Cancer sticks sapphire and gold circular tipped pins into my bun. For my makeup he picks, once again, blue eyeshadow. But he includes gold as well and ombres the two colors. He uses gold eyeliner, which makes my eyes pop in a way I had never thought possible. He doesn’t apply any lipstick, but that makes the look even better. Once he finishes I get up, thank him, and walk to the big mirror in my bathroom. Gasping, I stare at my reflection. Although I look very similar to my mother, the outfit, one I could see her wear, makes me look even more like her. I feel tears prick at the backs of my eyes and I try my best to hold them in. But the longer I look at myself and think of my mother the harder it gets to hold them back. Eventually, they begin to pour down my face. Cancer rushes over and holds me as I collapse into him. He holds me tight and comforts me as I sob.

***

Once I had somewhat calmed down Cancer gently removed the makeup and undid my hair. He turned around as I changed into more comfortable clothing then tucked me into bed, kissed my forehead and left me to rest.

Before I drifted off to sleep I thought of how much he loves me. How much my personal staff and the kitchen staff love me. How I wasn’t alone. How I did have people to comfort me.

_People like Virgo and Cancer who love me. Who helped me recover. I haven’t appreciated them. I acted as if no one who cared about me was left….I’m terrible._

As I finally fall asleep I smile to myself, thinking of all the times they’ve helped me and showed their love through their actions. I feel protected and comforted.

_Loved._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I probably fucked it up  
> I tried my best, pero lo siento. I'll try to get better at writing panic attacks and almost panic attacks.  
> Also I know I told as opposed to showed her loneliness but with the time line of this chapter it wouldn't have worked to show her loneliness so, sorry about that (I'll try to get better at showing not telling because I know that's really important in writing)  
> Anyway, hope these two chapters were ok. And this time! This time I'll (hopefully) not forget to post on Wednesday lmao


	4. Getting Ready

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FUCK
> 
> I'M LIKE TWO SECONDS LATE LEAVE ME ALONE
> 
> A lot more on time than last time lmao
> 
> Anyway chapter 4 is hella short so I'll update chapter 5 too (I'm still editing is so give me like 30 mins)
> 
> Also I'm going by PST time
> 
> Ya, hope this isn't too shitty. Definitely could have been better but I am ~lazy~

It’s finally the day of the party.

And I’m not ready.

Not ready for condescending men trying to weaken my defenses by bringing up what happened four months ago. Not ready for the whispers and glances and people asking if she’s ok or saying to “hang in there.” As if they really cared.

Some genuinely _did._ They either only meant well or wouldn’t even touch the subject.

Once I’m dressed and Cancer has done my hair and makeup, Virgo peeks into my bedroom asking, “Princess, are you ready?”

“Yes,” I sigh.

She holds her hand out for me to take, knowing it will help comfort and calm me. “If it gets too much, just briefly excuse yourself. Or come find me. We can always sneak down to the kitchen and find something to eat.” Virgo says mischievously.

I laugh at that, knowing and loving that she’s serious. “I’ll keep that in mind, thank you.” I squeeze her hand to let her know I feel better and she squeezes back, slowly leading me to the party, knowing the longer the trip takes the more time I have to prepare myself.

I glance at Virgo as we walk, realizing something is off with her. I cringe when I realize what. _You fucking idiot. Of course something is off. She loved mom...everyone did. Her death must have affected them too and I only just..._

I don’t have time to be angry with myself when I realize we’ve already arrived at the double doors royalty use to enter the ballroom. My hands become clammy and I feel my heartbeat quicken.

_I can’t go in there._

I look at Virgo, begging her with my eyes to not make me go in there. She looks back with apologetic eyes, giving one last reassuring squeeze and a small smile before bowing and heading toward the kitchen below. The guards open the double doors for me and as I walk in they announce my presence.

 _And so it begins,_ I think bitterly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no words
> 
> Anyway chapter 5 will be up soon


	5. The Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so technically it's 12/31 but bitch fuck up Imma lie because this was meant to be update on the 30th
> 
> Can't believe tomorrow is new years
> 
> Lol you sucked 2020. Can't wait for 2021 to fuck us over even more :DDDDDD *cries*
> 
> Ok so, this chapter DEFINITELY could have been better (at least the beginning part) But I don't want to. I just want to get it out. Some parts I was like 'ehhh that could have been worded better' but no. You get what you get and you be thankful
> 
> I also fucking LOVE this chapter because well...you'll see ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING- Lucy speaks of feeling violated while dancing with someone (he doesn't actually do anything but his presence feels violating) and her dad gets a little abusive. He raises his voice and threatens her, which really really scares her (understandably)
> 
> The mentions of feeling violated isn't too explicit but I wanted to put this here just in case
> 
> Stay safe please and take care of yourself <3

“Princess Lucy Heartfilia has arrived.” The guard announces. As he says this everyone present turns to acknowledge me, smiling and bowing in greeting. Knowing all eyes are on me I have to carefully and gracefully descend the stairs. When I finish the painstakingly long walk down the stairs Jude motions for the band to start playing. The music starts and people begin mingling and eating. Eating or playing music is disrespectful if the whole royal family isn’t present. I turn left at the foot of the stairs and walk to face Jude on his throne.

“Hello  _ father _ ,” I say as coldly as possible.

Sighing at my tone Jude says, “Here is the list of men.” Snapping his fingers a servant comes from a door behind his seat and hands him a piece of rolled up parchment.

“The men are: Duke Everlue, Marquess Richard, Prince Zachary, Earl Aaron, Viscount Matthew and Prince Sting.”

“Are they all here?” I ask, looking around.

“Yes they are. However, only one of the men is ready to dance with you.” Jude says looking out upon his party.

“Ok. Who is he. And what is his name?” I ask.

“Sting Eucliffe,” says a random voice from behind me.

Taken off guard I still before turning to face the owner of the disembodied voice. And- holy shit is he  _ pretty _ . I’m not sure if his personality is one I would want to marry but I would be down to fuck this beauty.

_ Holy fuck no one has the right to look this beautiful. He looks kinda badboyie...but not too much. And definitely not in an obnoxious or rude way. _

His eyes are a beautiful blue, and for once in my life I’m jealous of another’s eye color.

_ And shiiiiit look at that eyebrow scar. Goddamn.  _ (a/n- no this is  _ not  _ me projecting, what are you talking about)

After ogling his face (although he’ll never know since I have a perfect poker face and haven’t been staring in an obvious way) I quickly glance at his body and see he is wearing dark blue pants, a blue blazer with a white button down shirt and a white flower in his jacket’s breast pocket. It was simple yet elegant.  _ And shows off his ripped muscles. _

After clearing my mind and composing myself, I bow and I introduce myself, “Princess Lucy Heartfilia. It is a pleasure to meet you Prince Eucliffe.”

“The pleasure is all mine.” He says kissing the hand I’m holding out for him.

_ Ya, it will be if I get my hands on you. _

I notice that he didn’t kiss my hand in the lecherous manner that a lot of men do. It was respectful, just how it should be.

_ Now I feel bad for objectifying you like that. I guess this is what goes through all those gross men’s minds when they see me. Only worse probably.  _ I involuntarily shudder at the thought and Prince Eucliffe cocks his head to the side, confusion etched on his face as he asks, “Are you cold? It’s quite warm in here but I suppose not having your arms or shoulders covered can cause you to be cold.”

“Ah, no, I’m not cold. I just got the shivers.” I reply.

“Ah yes,” he says smiling, “I know exactly what you mean.”

A new song starts to play and his smile widens, “May I have this dance?”

Bowing I say, “Yes you may.” Turning to Jude I bow then let Prince Eucliffe lead me onto the dance floor. The song playing is Blue Danube by Strauss, a very typical and well known waltz song.

As we begin dancing Prince Eucliffe looks down at me as if I were a dog trying to act human.

“May I ask why you are staring at me like that?” I ask, looking up at him.

“You just don’t seem like you want to be here. You’re very stiff and seem like you’re waiting for something. May I ask what that might be?”

Shocked at what he said I falter and take a minute to respond. “I- Am I really that stiff?”

Laughing slightly he says, “Yes, you really are that stiff. Relax, this is a party. A party is meant for people to relax and blow off steam.”

“Ha, maybe for you. But parties for me have always meant perverted men trying to feel me up. And the pressure of my father wanting me to find a husband. I usually don’t enjoy parties. They’re suffocating.” I pause, then quietly add, “...And after what happened I  _ really  _ don’t want to be here.”

“I understand,” Prince Eucliffe says apologetically. “If I were you I too wouldn’t want to be here.  _ Especially  _ not after what happened. But don’t worry, I won’t try to feel you up, I promise.”

I appreciate his understanding of what I went through. Of what I’m  _ going _ through. How he isn’t pretending something traumatic didn’t happen to me four months ago…. But it could all be an act. Him trying to break down my walls with comforting words so that I’m more easily manipulated. And these thoughts are clearly written all over my face as he chuckles and says, “This may be hard to believe but not all men are terrible. I really do swear to not do anything.” He then leans in to whisper in my ear, “Unless you want me to of course.”

I pause, not sure whether I’m insulated he’s thought of fucking me (not like I’m one to talk) or turned on with the way he whispered it. He straightens and looks down at me, laughing at the blush I can feel creeping up my face and my probably shocked expression.

He suppresses his laughter and says, “I’m sorry. I usually wouldn’t have said that, but I saw you intensely checking me out earlier and couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Although I guess it wasn’t the best timing since you just told me you hated parties because of all the men trying to get in your pants. I really am sorry.”

I glare at him with no real anger. I notice I’m a bit less tense, which is odd because usually these kinds of comments make me more tense and uncomfortable.  _ Shit. He must have some magical powers to turn a lecherous comment into something that makes me relax. _

“How did you know I was checking you out? I kept a straight face and didn’t stare too long.”

He huffed in amusement, “I’m used to people checking me out. I’ve become quite good at deciphering between diplomatic or neautral stares and ‘I want you to fuck me right here and now stares.’” I laugh at that before he continues. “Although, I’ll give it to you. You were extremely discreet. If you hadn’t been four feet in front of me I definitely would have missed it.”

“Hmmm,” I say, trying to think of something to say. A thought crosses mind and I smile innocently up at him before leaning closer to whisper in the most dominating and sultry voice I can muster, “I don’t think you should be thinking about getting your hands on me. You should be worried about when  _ I  _ get my hands on  _ you.  _ A kingdom is not the only thing I can rule.”

I pull back, pleased as I see him blush scarlet.  _ He’s blushing pretty hard. I wonder if he likes the idea of being dominated? _ I smirk at that thought, wishing I could find out myself. When he makes eye contact with me and I see the pure shock and embarrassment on his face the laughter I had been trying to hold in finally bursts out. I have to pull away and cover my mouth to muffle my laughter. Prince Eucliffe stands there as I laugh my ass off, embarrassed and not knowing what to do with himself. Once my laughter has somewhat subsided I wrap my arm around his and lead him off the dance floor towards the table filled with food.

“Sorry, I have a problem with holding back when teasing. I really hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable. I didn’t mean anything I said.” I apologize to him.

He gives me a doubtful look, knowing that I did somewhat mean what I said. He then smiles slightly and shakes his head, “It’s fine. I did tease you after all. Guess it’s only fair. But, can we make an agreement to not tease each other like that? I think I’ll die of embarrassment if I blush that hard again.”

Chuckling I agree to the ‘no teasing truce’ and start to put some food on my plate. Prince Eucliffe does the same and soon we are standing in a corner of the ballroom, eating and talking. For once I am actually having fun at a party. Not even when mom was here could I ever enjoy myself like this.  _ Probably because she had to stay with Jude the whole time. We were never allowed to talk or stay with each other long, let alone spend the whole party together. _ I smile up at Sting (as we got to know each other and got more comfortable with each other we decided to call each other by our first names) and silently thanked him for being a genuinely nice and fun person. He notices my staring and stops telling the story of when his cat tried to eat a frog, which his friend ended up adopting as a pet.

“What’s wrong?” He asks.

“Nothing. I was just thanking you for being nice and fun. This is the first time I’ve ever had fun at a party. Not even when my mom would attend these did I enjoy myself. It’s nice to relax and take my mind off things. So, thanks for not being a horny perverted teenager like you could have been.”

He gasps and feigns offence. “I can’t  _ believe  _ you thought I would be horny. How could I, a teenager full to the brim with hormones, be  _ horny _ ?!”

I laugh at that. “Well, you could be ace.”

He hums in agreement, “True true. Although, I’m definitely not.” He says, winking at me.

I smile evilly, “I thought we made a truce not to tease each other like that. If you’re not careful I’ll tease you about liking being dominated.”

He sputters and starts profusely blushing once again. He drops his head in hands and groans, “Ugh how did you know?”

I laugh as he tries to further hide his face, “Well, the last time I  _ hinted  _ at dominating you you instantly blushed scarlet. That was pretty much the only sign I needed.”

He finally peeks at me through his hands and I wink at him, successfully causing him to hide behind his hands again like he’s a turtle hiding in its shell.

“You should have never broken the truce. But, because I’m such an amazing  _ ruler _ , I’ll be nice and won’t tease you further.” He becomes even more embarrassed when I emphasize the word ruler and I have to bite my tongue from rolling on the floor and dying of laughter. I go to the drink table and quickly came back with two glasses of wine.

“Here,” I say, offering him a glass. “You’ll get less flustered if you have some more alcohol in your system.”

He quickly grabs the glass and starts sipping it. We soon settle into a comfortable silence, enjoying each other’s presence and the music. That is, until an ugly man with gross hair and a face that just screams lecherous-woman-objectifier makes his way over to our safe haven.

“Good evening Prince Eucliffe, Princess Lucy,” the excuse of a human bows. “I am Duke Everlue, and I would like to have this dance.”

_ Princess  _ Lucy _. Not Your Majesty or Princess Heartfelia. Princess  _ Lucy _. I  _ hate it _ when men do this. As if they can’t accept the fact a woman can be of higher status. So they have to make themselves feel equal by first naming me in a way that isn’t blatantly disrespectful. _

I suppress a sigh and drink the last of my wine before handing my cup to Sting. I make a “give me the strength to not kill this man” face before turning to Dick Everlue and bow. I say in the nicest voice I can that I would  _ love  _ to dance with him. He grabs my hand (which I had  _ not  _ outstretched to him and so was extremely rude) and leads (more like pulls) me towards the dance floor.

_ So much for having fun for once. At least the first two hours were enjoyable. Maybe I’ll be able to go back to our safe haven and spend the rest of the night with Sting. That’d be nice.  _ Deep down I know that probably won’t happen because once people (as in men) see me dancing they’d keep their eyes on me so they too could get a dance.  _ They probably couldn’t find us in our corner. Or didn’t want to disturb us. Goddammit I hate this guy even more now. _

I resist the urge to yank my hand out of the man’s hand as he turns to face me. He places his hand on my back and although it is at a respectable height, it feels violating. I instantly tense up and feel uncomfortable to the point of having a slight panic attack.  _ Although he isn’t it  _ feels  _ like he’s violating me. _

I take a deep breath to calm myself as we start dancing. I try to think of all the ways I could kill him if he ever tried to touch me in a way I didn’t want. This helps and I’m collected enough to be able to look down (yes  _ down _ . Although there is no problem with men being short, something about this man being short makes him seem even more like a disgusting human being) and smile at him. He smiles back in a way I assume he meant to be nice but to me seemed far more creepy. I once again have to take a calming breath before I ask him, “How are you liking the party so far Duke Everlue?”

He smiles once again and says, “I am enjoying it greatly. Your father has always thrown the best of parties. The best foods, best drinks, best bands and always the most beautiful daughter.”

I resist the urge to run away from this man and hide in my room; somewhere where he can’t see, touch or be remotely near me. Instead I force myself to smile even wider and say, “That is very kind of you. I am glad you are enjoying the party.”

He twirls me in a circle before placing his hand once again on my lower back. I inwardly cringe at the action but keep a straight face. “Yes,” he continues. “It was about time he threw another party. It’s been far too long since the last one.”

I freeze at what he says. “Excuse you?” I ask, trying to mask my anger but failing.

He looks at me as if he had  _ not  _ just said my mother’s death wasn’t something of importance. That  _ parties  _ were far more important. “Well, it’s been about four months since the last party. It’s bad to not have one at least once a month. And after the attack of those silly rebels it was even more important to invite guests from neighbouring countries to keep our alliances strong. We can’t deal with a possible rebellion  _ and  _ broken alliances. We would become too weak and vulnerable.”

I wrench myself away from him and clench my fists into my dress to keep myself from beating the ever living shit out of him. “My mother  _ died  _ in that attack! Your  _ queen  _ died! How could you expect the palace to go back to normal after that?! You’re acting as if nothing happened!” I feel someone grab my arm but I yank it out of their grip. “You weren’t there! You didn’t have to fight for your life or watch your own mother die before your eyes because you were too weak to protect her! So listen here you little shit. You take your disgusting toupee and atrocious attitude and shove them up your a-”

“LUCY!” I freeze.  _ I was talking too loud. _ Swallowing I slowly turn to see my father across the room, standing and glaring at me with more anger than I had ever seen. “Come here.”

I feel someone squeeze my arm and turn to see Sting standing behind me, silently giving me his support. He lets go of my arm and I slowly make my way through the crowd that is parting for me as I go. When I make it to his throne I stand there, staring at him and terrified of what he’ll do or say. He’s seething. He has a straight face but I can see all the loathing and anger in his eyes.

“What do you think you were doing?” He asks, not expecting an answer and clearly not caring that the guests in the immediate vicinity can hear him. “How  _ dare  _ you talk to one of my esteemed guests like that.”

I stare at my feet, not wanting to face my father. If I did I would probably start crying and I  _ really  _ didn’t need that to happen. That would just anger him more.

“You  _ look  _ at me while I talk to you,” he snaps, taking a step forward.

I flinch away from him but slowly raise my head to meet his glare.

And I’m frozen.

I don’t know what to do. I couldn’t run if I wanted to. Couldn’t even speak if I tried. I’m helpless under his enraged gaze and I hate it.

“Now, you will go apologize to Duke Everlue. If he asks for any compensations you can  _ bet  _ you will be punished. Get out of my sight and do whatever Duke Everlue says since you’ve so greatly offended him.” Lifting his head up to look at the crowd of onlookers he smiles and sweeps his arms in a grand arch. “Forgive me for the disturbance. Teenagers, ever the rebels.” He laughs at this and the guests laugh along with him out of fear and awkwardness. “If the band will commence their playing we can continue this lovely night and forget the rudeness of my daughter.” The band instantly picks up from where they stopped and my father takes his seat once again. He sends me a warning glare and I bow, quickly trying to locate Duke Everlue to apologize.

_ I have to apologize to Everlue… I didn’t do anything wrong! And _ \- my breath hitches,  _ he said I have to do whatever Everlue says to make him happy. I- I don’t want to.  _ I stop, curling into myself in hopes of calming down and finding some form of comfort. I feel a hand on my shoulder and flinch so hard I almost fall. I turn and see Sting standing behind me, worry clear on his face. He looks back towards my father, who is still angrily watching us, clearly waiting for me to do as he told. Sting turns back to me, holding my forearm he leads me over to where Duke Everlue is, by the drink table pouring himself a big glass of wine. We stop in front of him and Sting reassuringly squeezes my arm before releasing it and taking a slight step backward. I take a shaky breath trying, but failing, to calm my nerves. I clear my throat to get his attention, although I know he saw us coming over, and bow the farthest I can. While my torso is still beant I say, “I apologize for what I said earlier. I clearly wasn’t thinking. If there is anything I can do that will help you forgive my grevious actions, please tell me.”

I keep my body beant, not wanting to move in case he doesn’t want me to. “You may rise,” he says. And I can hear the pleased smile in his response as I do as he said. It makes me sick to my stomach. “I’m afraid your words have greatly offended me. I don’t think there is anything you can do.”

Had my mind been clear and not filled with fear of my father, I would have spotted the set up Duke Everlue had just made. But because I wasn’t thinking I stumbled right into it.

“Please sir, there must be something I can do.” I practically beg, hoping that if I can make Everlue less angry my father would not punish me as severely.

He triumphantly smiles at my begging and says, “Well, now that I think about it, I suppose there is one thing you could do.”

My eyes light up at this, hoping that whatever he asks of me won’t be too bad. “What is it?” I ask.

“You will marry me. This is the only way I will ever be able to forgive you for being so rude. Although, I will have to work on that attitude of yours.”

I stare at him, horrified and disbelieving of what he said. He laughs at my reaction and grabs my hand. He kisses it and lets his lips linger, looking up at me in a way I would never want a fifty year old man to. Fear of having to spend the rest of my life with a human like this rushes through me and breaks me out of my fear induced trance (how ironic, fear of one man broke the hold my fear for another man had on me) I yank my hand out of his grasp and quickly back away from him, bumping into Sting and almost knocking both of us over. I look around for the nearest entrance and dread fills me when I realize I’ll have to leave through the main entrance. My father will be able to see me from his throne across the room. Pushing my fear down I sprint towards the exit, pushing through guests who wouldn’t get out of my way. As I head for the entrance I hear my father yelling my name, demanding I come back. But I ignore it, instead focusing on getting out of there as quickly as possible.

If only I had noticed the guards rushing towards me from both sides.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that took a turn for the worse
> 
> Hope nothing I wrote triggered anyone
> 
> The thing I love about this chapter is Sting and Lucy's interactions XD When I started writing this my fingers, once again, took control. It was glorious. Still my favorite. Again I know I probably failed at not brushing her trauma under the rug but I'm really trying! It's hard but I really want to not fail at that. Also remember it /has/ been four months so she can more easily talk about her mother (still not you know, a lot, but in passing) That's also why she was able to flirt with Sting and stuff because time /has/ passed
> 
> Hopefully you like her and Sting's banter (honestly after writing this I was doubting whether I wanted to keep this a NaLu fic but, I love Stingue too much XDDD (yes Rogue will make an appearance and yes him and Sting will date and yes Rogue will top Sting))
> 
> Anyway ya. I'm hot for Sting (he so pretty), shit gonna go down next chapter and I'm out byeeeeeeeeee
> 
> (oh ya happy new years and shit)


	6. The Runaway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AYYYYYYYYYYYYE I'M ON TIMEEEEEEEEEEEEE
> 
> The only reason I am is cause last week after I posted I felt inspired to edit the rest of the chapters I have written so I ended up staying up till like 2am editing and writing a little more haha
> 
> And I hope anyone who lives in Washington D.C. is safe cause I know crazy shit is happening there.  
> But can I also just say that if those were non white people (more specifically poc) they would have instantly gotten cops on the scene and tear gassed everyone? Apparently they didn't cause they didn't want to "endanger the senators inside" (I don't have all the info btw, so don't take my word as fact please) but bitch please, if those people weren't white they would have NOT hesitated. And that fucked up. This is why I fucking hate it here, it makes me so goddamn mad.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you like this chapter
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING- Jude hits Lucy twice. It happens at essentially the beginning of the chapter (third paragraph). If this will trigger you please skip over the third paragraph (although it is mentioned twice later on) Either way please take care
> 
> I hope /everyone/ takes care of themselves and stays as safe as they can

Just as I’m about to burst to freedom I feel hands grab my arms, dragging me backward. I struggle against them but because I’m so scared there is no strength or coordination behind my struggle. The guards let go of me, but due to my struggling I trip and fall at my father’s feet. I quickly scramble away from him and, still kneeling on the floor, look at him. And- if I thought before he was angry, I don’t know what this is. Livid or seething aren’t powerful enough to describe the emotions on his face.

If there weren’t people around, I would be worried he’d hit or kick me. He’s never hit me before but, there were times where I feared he would.

My false sense of safety due to there being witnesses was misplaced. Before I know what’s happening I feel pain explode in my stomach. I curl in on myself, trying to protect my stomach and hide from the pain. Sneering, my father grabs me by my hair and drags me up until I stand. I make the mistake of looking him in the face and instantly burst into tears. He lets go of me but quickly slaps me across the face. I choke on my sobs, stumbling back, hand rising to my cheek in hopes of dulling the pain. He steps forward and I quickly scramble further back. His eyes darken with an unspoken warning and all I can think is  _ run. _

_ Run, fight, get out of here. Leave and don’t come back.  _ I pause at that thought. Of course I’ve thought of running away. But my mother was the only reason I never did. But with her gone there's no reason for me to stay.

Glancing around frantically I see that I'm surrounded by guards. My eyes lock on the servant’s door behind my father’s throne.

_ No way to go but forward. _

I lock eyes with my father and see that he knows exactly what I’m thinking. He lunges forward but luckily I’m faster and was anticipating this. I dodge to his left and sprint for the door. I burst through and run as fast as I can in my shoes. I hear my father yelling commands for the guards to follow me. I quickly take my shoes off, keeping them in case I need to use the heel as a weapon. I wouldn’t want to hurt the guards, they don’t have a say in this. But there is also no way I would let myself get caught. I can’t think of what my father would do to me now that he’s crossed the line he’s seemed to have kept the past nineteen years. I finally burst through a door near the stairs leading to my room. I take them three at a time, thankful that the dress is relatively loose.

I lock my door then pause, remembering my father would have given the master key to the guards. I quickly barricade my door with all the furniture I can move, which is thankfully quite a lot. I quickly change into a far more comfortable outfit, too pressed for time and scared to take my makeup off or undo my hair. Grabbing a backpack from my closest I grab a change of clothes along with undergarments and stuff them into my bag. I put on socks and my combat boots and just as I was about to leave my walk-in closet, I spot all my jewelry.

_ Jewelry means money. Which means I can get a ship out of this place. _

Shoving as much jewelry as I can into my backpack without making it too heavy, and remembering to take the jewelry off from the party, I rush over to my bedside table. I grab my knives and guns, not bothering to attach them to my body and put them in my backpack. I hear heavy footfalls and know the guards will be at my door any minute. Grabbing all the scarves I have from my closet I run to the balcony, closing the doors and getting to work on tying the scarves together. Thankfully I know some strong knots that should hold the scarves together long enough for me to somewhat make it safely to the ground.

_ Bang _ . I glance behind my shoulder and see the furniture barricade shaking. Although nothing moves it still makes me nervous, especially when I hear the door unlocking.

_ They’re here. They’re right here and if they get in I’m dead. _ My hands start shaking even more and my movements become more frantic and desperate. I’ve messed up on some of the knots but don’t care, it will have to do. I hear more bangs and glance towards the door once again, color draining from my face when I see the slightly cracked open door.

_ Shit. Fuck. I- I need to hurry. I can’t get caught. I  _ can’t _. _

Finally,  _ finally _ I’ve tied all the scarves together. I tie one end around the balcony ledge and let the other fall over. My face drops. It’s not long enough. I  _ knew  _ it wouldn’t be long enough; I’m over a hundred feet up in the air. But I had hoped that maybe,  _ somehow  _ it would be long enough. I look up hoping something will be able to help me. And that’s when I notice that there are crevices in the walls. I look down and see there are crevices in the walls below me too.

_ Crevices I can use to climb. _

I hate heights. I’m insanely scared of them. But, I’m more scared of finding out what my father will do to me if I get caught. Untying the scarves from the balcony (maybe I’ll need them later) I wrap the line of scarves tightly around my left bicep and glance one more time towards my bedroom door. My stomach drops when I see they have the door halfway open. But I become somewhat hopeful when I see they can’t get in.

_ The furniture fell over and is blocking their path. That gives me a little more time. Plus they’re wearing armor, they’ll either have to take it off to follow me or it will slow them down. _

I glance down and find the nearest crevice to hold onto. Holding onto the balcony railing I grab hold of a nook in the wall, then slowly bring my left leg to another. Then, taking a deep breath I let go of the balcony completely and quickly grab the wall with my right hand. I look down, swallowing.

_ Why the fuck did you do that you idiot. _

I look up and press myself against the wall, hyperventilating due to how high up I am. I hear another crash from my room which sends a rush of fear through my body. I’m forced into action and slowly make my way down the wall. I have to look down the whole time to find where in the wall I can place my hands and feet. As I steadily make my way down I hear the guards finally force their way into my room. My breathing speeds up even more, but I have to remind myself that they’re in armor and will have a harder time following me. I hear them barging onto the balcony, yelling about needing to find me. If I weren’t so scared I’d laugh at the fact they can’t see me.  _ I guess the balcony is covering me. Not like I’m complaining. _

I speed up my descent. Soon everything zones out and before I know it I’m half way down the wall. Then my eyes widen and whip up to look at the balcony.  _ No one’s there. Of course they’re not, why would they have followed me when they can use the palace freely. FUCK! _

I freeze, not sure what to do. I listen and try to discern if I can hear anything. I can’t.

_ Ok, it would take them a while to get here. They’re moving as a big group and this is the West courtyard. It’s surprisingly far from my room. What can I do to get down faster?  _ I glance around, trying to think of something that will help. I then remember the scarves on my arm and look for somewhere to tie them too. I spot a horizontal pole, probably used for banners, fifteen feet below me. With renewed vigor I aim for the pole. I finally make it and carefully let go of the wall, unwinding the scarves from my left bicep. I reach out with my right and grab onto the pole, testing its strength and deeming it strong enough to hold my weight. I tighten my grip on the pole and let go of the wall, grabbing the pole with my left. I manage to tie the makeshift rope around the pole, albeit not as well as I would have liked and look down, pleased to see that, although the scarves don’t reach the ground, they’re close enough that I won’t break anything.

Grabbing onto the scarves I slowly let myself slide down. And of course,  _ this  _ is when I hear the clanging footsteps of the guards. Letting myself fall more quickly I look to my left where the footsteps are coming from and watch for when the guards will inevitably burst through. I feel one of the knots loosen, almost start crying from the overload of fear and panic coursing through me.  _ The scarves can’t untie, not now. Just a little longer,  _ please.

Just as the guards come into my line of view I come close enough to the ground to let go of the makeshift rope. I roll out of the fall and instantly start running toward the courtyard walls to my left. Luckily these aren’t very high and a lot easier to climb. I know because when I was younger and not scared of heights, I always climbed them. Trying to get to the top but always getting stopped by the servants, guards or mom… sometimes all three. I make it closer to the wall and launch myself onto it, quickly scaling it and going down just as quickly on the other side. I pelt towards the main palace gates and am pleased to see the regular amount of guards present. Glancing behind me I see no one chasing me. I almost shout with happiness until I notice someone running after me. Worried that it’s somehow my father I start running even faster. That is, until I hear said person calling my name. Slowing down I turn around and yell, “Sting?!”

“Yes!” He yells back. “Wait for me!!” I slow down just enough for him to catch up. When he does I ask him what he’s doing.

“I was worried, especially after your dad hit you and lunged at you like that. I wanted to help but didn’t know how, especially since I wasn’t even sure of what you would do. So I decided to wait at the entrance on the off chance I would see you,” he said between pants. “I have a horse. She’s at the stables. We can go get her. Where are you going?”

I shake my head, “The stables are too far. And there are probably already some guards there getting their horses. I wanted to go to the port. Maybe stowaway on a ship.”

Sting was silent for a minute as he thought. We finally come closer to the palace’s main gates. Just as I’m about to yell to the guards to open the gates, guards behind us yell at them to not let us through. They still seem pretty far off, probably close to the palace doors, which gives us some time.

“Fuck!” I yell, coming to a stop.

I glance at the guards near the gate.  _ They don’t seem to have any intention to move. Probably confused as to what’s happening. _

“It’s ok. I’ll distract them and you climb the gate.” Sting says.

“What do you mean “climb the gate?!” Are you stupid?! The gate is metal, there’s nothing for me to grab onto.” I exclaim, breathless.

“Yes there is stupid! The columns in between the pieces are stone.  _ Bumpy _ stone that has lots of places for you to hold onto!”

I smack my head at my own stupidity because he’s  _ right. _ I glance at him and he nods his head in reassurance. I feel an overwhelming urge to hug him. And I do just that. I convey my emotions of appreciation and thanks into the hug, and he hugs back, reassuring me.

“Thank you,” I say against his chest. I pull away and look into his face, “Thank you so much. I don’t think you understand how much I appreciate you and you’re doing this. And thanks for giving me an amazing two hours at the party. I’ll always remember that, especially since I usually have a pretty shit time.”

He snorts, “It really seems like you have bad luck with parties. Now go blondey, I’ll distract them or whatever.”

“Don’t “blondey” me. You’re blonde too!” I exclaim, not really offended.

“I know that stupid. I meant it in an endearing way.”

I pause, “Oh…..” I hadn’t thought he had meant to insult me, I thought he was just teasing me.  _ But he was trying to be endearing. If I weren’t trying to get away from my father I would uwu so hard right now. _

Rolling his eyes Sting starts walking towards the guards at the gate saying, “You’re pretty dense, aren’t you.”

Laughing, I yell back, “I know I am but what are you?! Oh wait! I know! You’re someone who likes to get dominated. You like being manhandled don’t you?”

Although I can’t see him I know he’s blushing scarlet red. “Sh-shut up!” He sputters.

I cackle, eyeing the stone column on my far right which has very few guards around it. “Never! This is probably the last time I’ll see you. I  _ have _ to tease you about this.” I glance behind me and see the guards are already halfway towards me. Cursing under my breath I start running to my right.

Yelling at the top of his lungs Sting retorts, “You don’t  _ have _ to, you  _ want _ to. And I refuse for this to be the last time we see each other. You’re too fun and I like you too much to not be able to hang out with you again. Don’t die! And if you're ever in Arcadia stop by my home, I’ll be more than happy to entertain your shenanigans.”

I smile at the thought of being able to hang out with him in an environment that isn't under strict rules.

_ Or the watchful gaze of my father. _

I  _ just  _ met him, yet something just  _ clicked _ . I could tell that if I had had the opportunity to get to know him better, he would have become an extremely close friend. I would probably even be willing to marry him to get my father off my case.  _ It also helps that I’d tap that ass any day. _

Dodging around the guards I make it to the column and start climbing. Once at the top I stop, turning to Sting’s general area and yelling as loud as I can, “I won’t die. Don’t let my sperm donor do anything to you! And I’m gonna make you regret your invitation for me into your home! Bye  _ blondey.  _ And thanks again!” And with that I quickly scale down the other side of the column and high tail it out of there, not even looking to check if Sting is ok or how close the guards are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't fucking judge me for writing "I would uwu so hard right now."
> 
> Also WAAAAIT FOR ME I'M COMIIIING WAAAAIT I'M COMING WITH YOU  
> So fucking hard to suppress myself from writing that when Sting said wait for me XD (if you know this song, I fucking LOVE you (the song is wait for me from Hadestown btw, you should definitely listen to the musical cause it's SO GOOD))
> 
> Anyway, what did you think of this chapter? You have any suggestions? Constructive criticism? Ya? Well I don't give a shit (lmao jk, I'm all ears, seriously.
> 
> Hope you liked the chapter. Please stay as safe and healthy as you can, see you next week!


	7. The Ship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY SHIT
> 
> I'm sorry I'm late 😅 I had the reminder and I saw it but I got really busy cause it was my mom's birthday yesterday and we went biking and just- I was busy haha (I also had a shit ton of hw which I haven't even finished :/ ) But ya, here's the chapter
> 
> ALSO! Trump got impeached?!?!?!?!?! :DDDDDDDD FUCK YA HEHEHEHEHE (except Mike Pence is president now...(right? that's how it works? Idk how the gov works lmao (which is bad cause in like 6 months I'll be able to vote....I'll educate myself before then, don't worry)) But ya. I don't think he'll be in charge for too long so that's good
> 
> (also I seem to have an obsession with starting all my titles with 'The' 😅 It's called not being a creative title person haha)
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING- Mention of rape and suicide (Lucy mentions she doesn't want to get gang raped (kinda beginning/middle of chapter) and that she would rather kill herself than go back to the palace (more towards the end))
> 
> Stay safe and as happy as you can be. Hope this chapter is ok

I lost the guards pretty quickly. They hadn’t had time to get their horses and couldn’t keep up with me due to all their armor. As I sprint through the city I can’t help but think how quiet it is. It’s such a contrast to the rokus of the party and the guards chasing me. As the adrenaline wears off I start to feel tired, my lungs burning and body aching. I slow to catch my breath, and once it’s somewhat recovered begin to walk toward the port.  _ It must be around one am. Damn that was the most stressful, adrenaline and fear filled hours of my life. Well… a close second…. _

I ignore this thought and instead admire the beautiful night sky. The sound of the ocean reaches my ears just as a figure emerges from the shadows. I jump away from them, ready to fight.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” a deep voice says.

Still weary, I ask them what they were doing. The person shrugs, “Stealing some stuff.”

“Ok…..” And with that I continue walking towards the harbor. However, I notice the person starts to follow me.  _ Ok, calm down. Maybe they aren’t following me. They could just be heading in the same direction….. But what are the odds they would “accidentally” stumble on me and then start following me? Ok, just go around some random corner and if they go the same way, then fucking book it. _

As if the person could read my mind they speak up. “I’m not following you. I’m just heading towards the port. Here,” they jog up next to me, “I’ll walk next to you.”

I eye them suspiciously. “Don’t try anything. I’m not someone you’d wanna mess with.”

They chuckle at that, “Ya. I kinda figured any female walking at this hour wouldn’t be someone to be taken lightly.”

I glance at them. They’re muscular. Definitely work out, I just couldn’t tell if they could fight. I look forward and continue walking towards the port. A thought suddenly pops into my head. “You’re going towards the port. So, do you have a ship? Or maybe you’re a passenger or crew member on a ship?”

“I’m part of a crew. Why?” They ask.

“I need a ride. I don’t care where to, I just need to get as far from here as I can.”

“And why’s that?” They ask, clearly curious.

“None of your business,” I retort. “So, can you get me a spot on your ship?”

“Well, it’s not  _ my _ ship. Although I guess I am technically third in command. Sometimes it seems like I  _ am _ the captain though.” They grumble, clearly annoyed. “Anyway, you’ll have to talk to the captain. No promises though.”

“Yes! Holy shit thank you oh my fuck you are a  _ god send! _ ” I jump up happily.  _ Maybe I can get out of here! _

They chuckle again, “Don’t get too excited. Like I said, no promises,”

“I know but that’s better than nothing. Here I thought I’d have to swim out of here.”

“Hah, I’d like to see you try.” They say, amused.

“You just might if your captain doesn’t let me on.”

“Hmm, now I kinda hope he doesn’t so I can see that.” They say mischievously.

I scoff at that and go back to admiring the sky. The person next to me seems to not mind the quiet and I’m thankful that I get a bit more peace. When we finally make it to the port the person turns left and I follow after them. Coming upon a ship, the person turns to me. “So, there’s not really anywhere for you to stay. You could technically sleep on the deck but, you’ll have to wait till dawn to talk to him. If I woke him up now he’d be annoying as fuck.”

“Alright,” I say. “I’ll stay on the deck. I probably won’t sleep but, I’ll just chill.”

The person nods their head and goes up to the side of the ship. They start climbing up a rope ladder and I follow behind. When I get on the deck, I’m awestruck. I’ve been on ships before, but none come close to this one. The polished wood beautifully complimented the colorful sails. It was so different to see such an array of colors on sails of a ship; as opposed to the generic beige. But, it fit the ship and the powerful aura it seemed to exude.

Something about the ship nags at the back of my brain, but I can’t pinpoint what exactly. I shrug it off and tear my gaze away from the beautiful sails, just as the person goes below deck. I settle on the wooden floor, leaning against the walls of the ship and gazing at the stars. Although I’m exhausted, emotionally and physically, I don’t want to fall asleep. I don’t know these people and definitely don’t want to give them the opportunity to gang rape me.

As I stare at the stars my mind begins to wander.

_ I wonder what fa- _ Jude _ is doing. Would he come after me? I mean, probably. I’m his only child and his only way of getting male heirs. _

_...I wonder if Sting is ok. I hope so. I’d feel bad if anything happened to him cause of me. And I definitely don’t need that guilt weighing down on me. _

I stare at the stars for who knows how long until I hear a distant shout. Curious as to what it is I get up and search for where it came from. I don’t have to search long though, because soon I hear more shouts and know not only  _ where _ they’re coming from but  _ who  _ they’re coming from.

_ Shit. I don’t know what they’re gonna do. If they’re actually headed to the port they’re gonna search all the ships. I can’t endanger these people. But where can I hide. _

I frantically search for somewhere to hide when I freeze.  _ Wait, how did they know to come here? They- no, Sting isn’t hurt. They just assumed that’d be the most logical thing to do to get away from here as quickly as possible.  _ I guess on the one hand I was right, but at the same time extremely wrong since I hadn’t gotten any further from this place.  _ Shit. I really hope Sting is ok. But fuck I still don’t know what to do. _

The guards were closer now, and a lot louder. They were definitely waking everyone up.  _ The poor townspeople. Just trying to sleep.  _ I pause.  _ No wait, poor me too. I’m being hunted down and have no way of getting out. _

The guards are even closer and I’m able to somewhat makeout what they’re saying. Glancing nervously towards the trap door that leads below deck I realize I’ll have to hide in the water. I turn and see the guards split into groups, heading towards the ships to search them. I quickly turn and run across the ship, diving into the water.  _ FUCK! I forgot about my clothes and jewelry. Agh, neither will be ruined but now my clothes and backpack will smell like the sea…. Well, I guess that would have happened anyway since I’ll be living on the ocean for a while. _

Luckily the water is pretty warm. Pressing my body against the side of the ship I pray it hides me properly. As I the guards approach the ship I hear clamoring from above  _ and  _ below deck.  _ The fuck? They got on the ship already? _

“Can we help you?” I hear a familiar voice ask.

“Yes,” one of the guards states. “We are looking for Princess Lucy Heartfilia. She wouldn’t happen to be on this ship, would she?”

I hear the, what I’m assuming is crew, of the ship murmuring amongst themselves. Confused as to why the Princess would be on their ship. “No, she isn’t here.” I hear someone say in an undeniably authoritative tone. “Now if you would kindly leave our ship we would like to rest before we depart later this morning.”

“We would like to look around first. Just to double check she really isn’t here.” The guard says, more as a statement rather than a question. I hear the loud ass footsteps of the guards below and above the ship.

“It seems you were correct, she isn’t here. If you happen to see her or find any information pertaining to her whereabouts, inform us immediately. If you do you will be rewarded. Thank you for your cooperation.” And with that I hear the guards clanking off.

I release a breath I hadn’t known as I was holding as relief washes over me. Then dread comes crashing in almost immediately.

_ They know they’re looking for me. That person  _ knows  _ I’m the princess. If they find me they’ll definitely turn me in. Fuck. FUCK! I can’t go back on the ship. Or into town. I really  _ am _ gonna have to swim away from here aren’t I. _

I chuckle exasperatedly at the thought, pressing myself harder against the ship to ground myself.  _ Ok, maybe I can just hold onto the side of the boat like this? …..Don’t be stupid you’d die. And they would definitely find you. Shit. _

“Hey!”

“Fuck!” I yell, taken by complete surprise. I look up and see the person from earlier looking down at me, clearly amused by the situation I’m in. I narrow my eyes at them. “What?”

“That was pretty smart, hiding in the water. Here,” they throw a rope over for me. “Grab on, I’ll pull you up.”

“I can climb it myself.” I snap, and begin to climb the rope. Once I reach the deck the person holds their hand out for me to take. Ignoring it I hoist myself over the wall and look up to see a decent sized group staring at me. I stare back, not knowing if I should see what they have to say or jump back in the water.

Someone pushes forward. They seem huge but, I guess that’s just because of the armor they’re wearing. It’s not even much armor, just a breastplate. But something about it makes them seem bigger than they probably are. Their hair is strikingly red. It looks unnatural, like the actual color red and not the orange/red natural hair color. And the way the stand radiates authority.

“Hello. I am Erza Scarlet. You must be Princess Heartfelia.” I recognize the voice as the one from earlier who dealt with the guards.  _ Makes sense that just their stance can radiate such authority. I wonder if they’re the captain? Wouldn’t be surprising. _

“I’m not Princess Heartfelia. And before you ask, no I have not seen her. I didn’t even know she was missing.” Thank fucking satan I’m a good liar. However, it seems this person, Erza, is good at detecting lies; because they narrow their eyes at me, clearly warning me from lying again as they say, “I shouldn’t have phrased that as a question. You  _ are _ Princess Heartfelia and you  _ will  _ tell us why your guards were looking for you. Why there is a ransom for you. And if you don’t stick to the truth I won’t hesitate to turn you in.”

Glancing around I try to find some way to get out of here if I need to. Noticing my searching, the person who dropped the rope steps closer to me, seeming prepared to grab me if I try to run. Sighing I relent, “Yes ok, I’m Princess fucking Heartfelia. I….ran from home and Jude- um,  _ King _ Jude, is less than pleased. If you try to turn me in you’ll only be delivering a corpse. I’d rather kill myself than go back to that hell hole.” I level my anger filled gaze with Erza.

Someone with pink hair pushes past the red haired person.  _ What the fuck is up with these people having wacky hair color. Where do they find the time or supplies to keep the color so vibrant. _

Pinky smiles at me, which takes me off guard since literally no one else is smiling. “No need to be so dramatic Princess. We weren’t planning on turning you in. We don’t need the money and besides, it’s far less fun receiving money for free from a kingdom than it is stealing it.”

_ Pirates. Ok, that makes sense. Especially with their weird ass hair. No kingdom sailors would be allowed to color their hair like that. _

“Ok….” I say, not knowing how to reply to that. “So uhhh…..then what? Would- would you give me passage on your ship? I could pay you if need be. Or help around on deck. I’m not useless. I really need to get out of here as soon as possible.”

I expect Erza to reply, seeing as they’re the captain. But instead Pinky speaks again. “I don’t see why you can’t get a ride on our ship. We’ll leave in a few hours. And, no need for payment. Like I said, we don’t need money. But I’ll definitely take you up on that offer to help around. The more hands on deck the better. I’m Natsu by the way.” Pinky-  _ Natsu _ , extends their hand for me to shake. “Welcome aboard the Fairy Tail.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I use they/them pronouns as much as I can for people I don't know so Lucy and the other characters will do the same. If it bothers you then fuck off. I'll do my best to not make it confusing and not obnoxious (although I may have already failed haha) Oh well, I don't care
> 
> Also! This is my last completed chapter I have already written (still working on the next one) and I have zero idea where the plot is gonna go from here so....I might go on a short hiatus to figure that out (hopefully not though. I have monday off so maybe during that time I can figure shit out, finish chapter 8 and start new ones) But probably not because life sucks and motivation isn't always there so ._. ya


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